Introducing A Duo Of Limited Chronographs From Worn & Wound and Nivada Grenchen

December 09, 2022

Worn & Wound has teamed up with Nivada Grenchen to release a limited-edition duo of chronographs. The first is the Nivada Grenchen x Worn & Wound Chronomaster Valjoux 72, a limited edition of just 20 pieces, priced at $6,900. The watch's color palette is inspired by an old racing dial in Nivada's archives,?but the real story here is the movement. The collab partners found 20 old stock Valjoux 72 chronograph calibers and serviced and restored them for this limited edition. Yep, Valjoux 72:?the old movement that powered so many of your favorite vintage chronographs, from the Rolex Daytona and Heuer Carrera down to lesser-known efforts from brands like Enicar, Gallet, and, of course, Nivada Grenchen.? The second release is the Nivada Grenchen x Worn & Wound Datomaster VK64. Unlike the Valjoux 72 effort, this release is open for pre-orders for a 72-hour window, from December 7 through December 10 at 12 p.m. ET (there's still time!). When the window closes, they'll produce as many watches as pre-orders received, but no more. Instead of the Valjoux 72, this opts for the Seiko VK64 Mecaquartz, which means it's a more affordable $450, and you've got two colorways to choose from. The Chronomaster Valjoux 72 The new Chronomaster Valjoux 72 measures 38mm in diameter and 14mm in thickness, based on Nivada Grenchen's classic Chronomaster. The entire color palette is full of warm, saturated colors: a black cherry aluminum bezel (similar to the dark red hour and minute hands), deep grey dial, cyan chronograph hands, and a colorful outer track that's reminiscent of racing dials of old (including from Nivada Grenchen). The Valjoux 72 movement is the star here, and it's visible through a sapphire caseback, though a closed caseback is also provided. Honestly, most of those original Valjoux 72 chronographs would've had closed casebacks C?it's an industrial-produced movement that was nothing special, from a finishing perspective, at least C?so the solid caseback option makes sense here. The Chronomaster comes with both a vintage-style beads-of-rice bracelet and a black rally strap. The pair of Datomaster VK64 in both dial options Meanwhile, Datomaster VK64 comes in two colorways: One features a gray dial with black subdials, along with a mix of khaki and crimson accents; the second has an inverse setup, with a black dial and gray subdials, again with accents in khaki and crimson. Both have a bright cyan chronograph seconds hand and come with a brown rally strap with a pronounced grain. The Datomaster uses the Seiko VK64 mecaquartz movement. A "mecaquartz" movement is quartz-powered but uses a mechanical chronograph gear train, which means the chronograph function still has some of the tactile features of a true mechanical chronograph like a smooth sweeping seconds hand and quick reset. It's based on Nivada Grenchen's modern take on the Datomaster and measures 36mm by 12mm.? What We Think The old stock Valjoux 72 inside the Chronomaster. Since the rebirth of Nivada Grenchen in 2020, we've covered a number of its releases, and this collab is another exciting one. The saturated colors, full of deep gray, dark red, and blue, are unique and consistent across all three watches. It evokes vintage racing dials of old C?my favorites have always been the Omega Speedmaster racing dials, but Nivada says it has some in its archives, too. Pairing a heritage brand like Nivada Grenchen with an old stock of the Valjoux 72 is a fun, unexpected twist on the limited edition. Sure, 20 watches isn't that many, and asking $6,900 for a Valjoux 72-powered chronograph is a lot, but pairing this ambitious project with the Mecaquartz-powered Datomaster VK64 makes this set of limited editions more enjoyable. There's something for everyone. ? The Nivada Grenchen Datomaster is one of those "cult-classic" vintage watches, the type of thing we'd feature on old Bring A Loupe columns when they popped up for sale, which wasn't often. That's why I've enjoyed modern Nivada Grenchen bringing this design back at a more accessible, Mecaquartz-powered price C?it's a way to get a quirky, slightly obscure vintage design for a few hundred bucks instead of a few thousand.? Meanwhile, the Chronomaster Valjoux 72 is a project of a different scale. If it keeps the story of the Valjoux 72 alive, keeping collectors curious and interested about this historically important chronograph movement, it's a worthy endeavor. Sure, $6,900 is a lot for an new watch with an old movement, but if it's not for you, there's a $450 Mecaquartz option.? The Basics Brand: Nivada GrenchenModel: Nivada Grenchen x Worn & Wound Chronomaster Valjoux 72Diameter: 38mm (39mm at bezel)Thickness: 14mmLug-to-lug: 46.5mmCase Material: Stainless steelDial Color: Fog gray and blackBezel: Aluminum Crysal: Box sapphire crystalWater Resistance: 100 metersStrap/Bracelet: Steel beads-of-rice and black Horween leather rally strap The Chronomaster Valjoux 72 also comes with a numbered print of the Valjoux 72 movement. The Movement Caliber: Old stock Valjoux 72, restored and warranty by Nivada GrenchenFunctions: Time and chronographWinding: Manual Pricing & Availability Price: $6,900Availability: From December 8Limited Edition: Yes, 20 piecesFor more, visit Worn & Wound. The Basics Brand: Nivada GrenchenModel: Nivada Grenchen x Worn & Wound Datomaster VK 64Diameter: 36mmThickness: 12mmLug-to-lug: 43.5mmCase Material: Stainless steelDial Color: Fog gray and black; Black and fog grayCrystal: K1 mineral crystalWater Resistance: 100 metersStrap/Bracelet: Brown leather rally strap The Movement Caliber: SII (Seiko Instruments, Inc.) VK64 Mecaquartz movementFunctions: Quartz movement with mechanical chronograph gear train Pricing & Availability Price: $450Availability: Pre-order open until December 10 at 12 p.m ETFor more, visit Worn & Wound. Shop this story The Hodinkee Shop is an authorized retailer of Nivada Grenchen watches. Explore our collection?here.?For more on the Worn & Wound x Nivada Grenchen collaboration, visit Worn & Wound's website.